Saying No to War? Conscientious Objectors

Ben Copsey from the Peace Pledge Unionexamines some of the stories of Lewisham’s conscientious objectors.

Conscientious objectors were men who refused to be conscripted into the army, refused to fight and refused to kill during the First World War.

They came from many backgrounds and walks of life and had many different political, religious and even artistic reasons fro objecting to fighting in war. For many Lewisham men, their decision to oppose the senseless slaughter of war would have wide ranging consequences that led to some being sent to medical work on the front line, some to labour camps and some to prison.

Ben Copsey attempts to answer the key questions: Why, when and how did hundreds of Lewisham men say ‘no’ to the First World War.​